How to Prevent Quiet Quitting?

Quiet quitting has been doing the rounds on media platforms, but what is it exactly, and how should businesses deal with it?

We recently produced a white paper called Improving Employee Engagement to Drive Retention and Performance where we looked at the issue in detail.  

What we uncovered was a significant and pressing problem faced by businesses across the country. A recent Gallup Poll shows that quiet quitters make up at least 50% of the US workforce.

When Gallup uses the term, they are talking about the millions of people who "are not going above and beyond at work and are simply meeting the minimum requirements of their job description." 

Doing a job well involves a level of commitment and extra effort. Quiet quitting - or doing the bare minimum - is symptomatic of a disengaged and disenfranchised workforce.  
 

Employee Engagement

Time to start or overhaul an engagement strategy? Capitalize on Employee Engagement Opportunities.

The causes of quiet quitting
 

Some argue that quiet quitting is simply reflective of changing attitudes to work. There’s a perception that Millennial and Gen Z employees may be less committed to their jobs than earlier generations. Their primary focus is on striking a work-life balance. They believe ‘meaningful’ work is more important than salary or status.

On the other hand, many others think the problem is caused by thoughtless and unfair corporate practices and management standards. Another perspective is that we are simply giving a new name to a problem that has always persisted. 

Regardless of the precise causes, we do know for sure that the quiet quitting problem is getting bigger.

Solutions for employers
 

But what can companies do about it? One way to combat quiet quitting is to focus on employee engagement - a measurement of the level of loyalty and commitment an employee has to their work and their company. 

Focusing on employee engagement gives you a measurable and tactical way to tackle the issue of employees choosing to ‘quiet quit’ rather than stay invested in their work. If you focus on how to create a fulfilling workplace culture and provide employees with the resources they need to do their job well, you’ll see an impact on retention and employees performing to the best of their abilities. 

We’ve found that taking a long-term approach to improving the employee experience is usually the best strategy, especially since employee engagement is not static, and definitely changes throughout an employee’s journey with the company. 

 

Employee Engagement

Time to start or overhaul an engagement strategy? Capitalize on Employee Engagement Opportunities.

Programs should also be run for a minimum of 12 months and need to be developed with clear objectives in mind. This provides enough time for you to make any 'tweaks' along the way that might improve outcomes and the effectiveness of any new initiative.

If a program generates positive results, it can be integrated and become an ongoing part of the company culture. 

Some innovative employee experience initiatives include:

• Creating a mentorship program for new hires 
• Investing in tools and systems to ensure employees have what they need to do their job well
• Celebrating employees who exemplify company values 
• Offering programs that address physical and mental well-being at work
• Gathering employee feedback on a regular basis
   

A core principle running through all these suggestions is communication. If you simply rely on a top-down approach, you won’t foster the commitment and engagement that meaningful group communication can generate. Listening is important but so is being heard!

A dynamic and powerful communication tool is a critical resource in the struggle to help your employees feel connected, make their work more meaningful and reduce quiet quitting. That is why your company's intranet is so important. From day one on the job, for those working from home, at the office, or on the road, it is the thread linking all your people together.

LumApps is a Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader designed to deliver meaningful employee experience solutions. 
More than an intranet, LumApps is a communication tool that can help your organization enrich employee engagement, company culture, onboarding, and training experiences. It brings your people together, making work more meaningful and workers feel more connected and supported.

At LumApps we don't just support an enterprise workforce, we help build a healthy work culture. Book a demo to see how we can help your team. 
 

We would love to know more about your goals. How can we help?